What is the european
council of young farmers (ceja)?
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CEJA is the voice of
Europe’s next generation of farmers to the European
institutions. CEJA’s main objective is to promote a younger
and innovative agricultural sector across the EU 27 and to
create good working and living conditions for young people
setting up in farming and those who are already “Young
Farmers”. CEJA achieves this by acting as a forum for
communication and dialogue between young farmers and
European decision makers.
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CEJA in 14 languages:
“CEJA’s goal is to facilitate and improve
the life of a young person who has decided to establish a
career in agriculture. In today’s rapidly changing world and
a global European Union, this is more important than ever
before”.
Giacomo Ballari - CEJA President
CEJA is an organisation that:
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Represents the interests of Europe’s young
farmers towards the EU institutions
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Informs young Farmers of current EU
agricultural matters
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Trains Young farmers through seminars and
conferences
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Organises young farmers at European level
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Promotes the development of agriculture and
rural areas within the EU
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Discusses matters related to food and
agricultural products with European society
“CEJA is the voice of one million young farmers
across the EU. It is the most important interest-representation
and lobbying organisation in Europe for young farmers today”.
Pieter Van Oost,
CEJA Vice–President
History of CEJA
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CEJA was founded in Rome, Italy in 1958.
Through a
series of bilateral contacts, organisations representing young
farmers from the six initial members of the EEC set up a
European organisation of young farmers in order to concentrate
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action at European level and to concretely
participate in the realisation of European integration. To this
end, a “Comité d’Entente” was set up, which was later
renamed the “European Council of Young Farmers”.
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In 2007, CEJA represented 27 organisations from
21 EU Member States including one observer member. In total,
CEJA represents more than one million young farmers in Europe
and actively cooperates with other young farmers’ organisations
in the European Union. In 2008, CEJA celebrates 50 years of
existence. CEJA does not
represent and does not depend on any political ideology and
represents all categories of young farmers
and young people interested in a future in farming and rural
areas.
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“I cannot say often enough that the work of CEJA
is crucial to our future – not only the future of European
agriculture, but also that of the European Union as a whole”
Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for
Agriculture and Rural Development
STRucture of CEJA
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CEJA is an international organisation
governed by a General Assembly, a Presidium (CEJA’s main
decision making bodies), and a Presidency (which is made up of
one President and four Vice-Presidents, elected for a two year
term). The office is based in Brussels and is composed of 2
permanent staff members.
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The CEJA Presidency 2007-2009
CEJA Statutes AISBL [FR]
[IT]
[EN]
[DE]
[ES] |
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Activities
CEJA’s role is to examine the overall
problems of young farmers and to seek solutions that represent
the common interests of its members. Other than defending the
professional and social interests of young farmers in Europe, CEJA’s activities concentrate
on:
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Training Europe's future agricultural leaders:
CEJA encourages the training and information of young
farmers, and organises regular seminars on subjects of
interest to young farmers which are linked to the future
of agriculture. These seminars allow young farmer
leaders from all over Europe to be informed about the
latest developments of the Common Agricultural Policy of
the EU and to share experiences and opinions with
European decision makers, experts, different
stakeholders and civil society on how agricultural
policy should be developed to meet the needs of the
young generation.
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Developing expertise:
CEJA's member organisations take part in the
Agricultural Advisory Committees of the European
Commission. They send their national experts to give
advice on particular agricultural issues from the point
of view of the next generation of farming. At the same
time, this allows for the member organisation to deepen
their understanding of day-to-day EU policy formation as
well as increase knowledge and expertise on the
respective subject. |
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Contact:
CEJA ensures regular contact between young farmers in
Europe and European Institutions, decision-makers,
producer organisations, industry, retailers, consumers
and environmental organisations.
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Regular information to members and friends of CEJA:
CEJA believes in transparency and informs its member on
a regular basis on latest development on agricultural
issues at European level. CEJA actively participates at
seminars and conferences organised at European level and
publishes reports and executive briefings and summaries
of the main outcomes of these meetings. For Friends of
CEJA, stakeholders, CEJA Alumi etc, CEJA publishes a
monthly newsletter called "Friends of CEJA". If can be
obtained by e-mailing to
ceja@ceja.be |
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Focal points and positions
CEJA’s efforts focus on:
- The installation of young farmers
in the future.
- Giving young famers
real, long-term and positive prospects in European
Agriculture
- Creating a young,
modern and innovative European Model of Agriculture
- Creating a future-orientated
CAP for the active Young Farmer
- Promoting young
farmers as agri-entrepreneurs and innovation professionals
- Informing society
about the indispensible value of European Agriculture for
each European citizen and consumer
- Restarting the
exchange programme for Young Farmers to boost the
competitiveness of European Agriculture
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